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H. SOLTZ TICKET ISSUING MACHINE Nov. 17, 1936.

Filed Sept. 30, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR BY I f ATTORN Nov 17, 1936. H. SOLTZ TICKET Iss'UING MACHINE Filed s t. so. 1935 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOYR ATTQRNEYS.

Nov. 17, 1936. H. soLTZ TICKET ISSUING MACHINE Filed Sept. 30, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 BY 2 E ATTORNEYS.

NOV. 17, 1936. H, SOLTZ TICKET ISSUING MACHINE Filed Sept. 30, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 BY I we Z11 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 17, 1936 UNITED STATES rnrsnr creme TICKET ISSUING MACHINE Application September 30, 1935, Serial No. 42,773

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a ticket issuing machine and particularly to the type of machine adapted for theatre use for issuance of one or more tickets in a single operation.

It is the broad object of the present invention to provide a ticket issuing machine which is sim ple in construction and silent in operation. In most machines heretofore in use, the depression of a key or actuation of other tripping mechanism has involved the snapping of a certain element or plurality of elements to limited positions under the action of a spring, producing a comparatively loud and annoying sound and causing substantial shock to the mechanical parts by reason of the impact. Furthermore, during the operation of most such machines, there has been involved clashing of elements which, in view of the high speed of operation, produced considerable noise and shock. The machine forming the subject matter of the present inventionis so designed as to eliminate substantially all sharp engagements of elements so that the resulting machine is remarkably quiet in operation.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of means of improved character for determining the issuance of one or some'particular number of tickets as determined by a depressed key.

Other objects of the invention, relating more particularly to details of construction, applicable not only to multiple ticket issuing machines but also to single ticket issuing machines, such as, for example, restaurant check machines, will be apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section taken longitudinally of the apparatus and showing substantially the parts as they would appear if the right-hand side plate were removed;

Fig. 2 is a similar vertical section but taken on a plane to the left of that of Fig. 1 so as to show elements located adjacent the left-hand side plate;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section looking upward taken on a plane indicated at 3-3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section also looking upward taken as indicated at 4-4 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the plane indicated at 5-5 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the plane indicated at 66 in Fig. 1; and

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary sectional View on an enlarged scale showing certain of the driving parts in elevation as they would appear with others removed.

The present machine is so designed that a plurality of ticket issuing units may be assembled within an outer casing side by side so as to deliver different kinds of tickets through a common top plate of the outer casing and so as to be driven from a single motor through a common shaft extending transversely below the several units. Such arrangement is at present common in machines of this type and is particularly convenient since individual units containing the major portion of the mechanism may be removed and replaced by other identical ones if necessity for repair arises. side by side, may be retained in proper relationship to each other either by suitable construction of the outer housing or by means of transverse members engaging the individual units and hold ing them in proper relative positions. Since this application is concerned only with the mechanism in a single unit, there is disclosed only one such unit, there being additionally shown in Figs. 1 and. 6 the countershaft 14- which forms the common drive for a plurality of units from a single motor, which motor is adapted to be started upon the depression of any key of any unit.

Each of the units comprises suitable plates indicated at 2 properly spaced from each other by transverse members, there being additionally 0 provided for the support of parts of the mechanism other members such as the plate 3. Operation of the machine is effected through the depression of one of keys 4 passing through suitable slots in a spacer plate 5 and individually pivoted at their lower ends to key levers 6 mounted upon a transverse pin 8 and held in properly spaced relative relationship by means of spacers on the pin and slotted combs l6 and i8. Each of the levers 6 is provided with a nose l0 which yieldingly cooper-ates with either the upper or under surface of an inward projection of a spring strip M so that each lever is yieldingly maintained in either an upper or lower position. The spring strips l4 may be provided as individual teeth on a single member secured to the comb l6.

Each of the key levers 6 is provided with a shoulder 20, the function of which will be brought out later. In the form of the invention illustrated, these shoulders 20 are lined up with each other transversely of the unit. Pivoted on the pin 8 and extending transversely below all of the key levers 6 is a stirrup 22 to which is secured a depending arm 24 adapted to close a switch by engagement of a transverse plate of Sufficient units, which are placed well known type. This plate extends transversely of all of a plurality of units so as to be moved to close a single switch upon depression of a key and consequent movement of the stirrup of any one of the units.

The stirrup 22 is also provided with a rearwardly extending arm 26 which, at its rear end, is turned as indicated at 28 so as to cooperate with the lower end of a lever 35, which is pivoted at 32, provided with an end for manual manipulation, indicate-d at 345. When the lever til is in the position illustrated in Fig. 2, the stirrup may be rocked by depression of a key. On the other hand, if the lever is moved in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2 until its lower end overlies the turned end 23, it will be impossible to depress any of the keys and consequently the unit will be rendered inoperative. Locking of a unit is thus provided since normally the housing is provided with a locked top plate beneath which the upper end 33 of the lever at is located. When a plurality of units are provided, therefore, it is possible for the person having custody of the key of the machine to lock certain of the units so that they may not be operated to issue tickets.

Pivoted at 36 to the extension 263 is a link 38, the upper portion of which is notched, as indicated at at, in such fashion that either of the notches may engage a pin t2 under the action of a spring i t, with the result that the link Sit, and consequently the stirrup, is yieldingly held in an upper or lower position. The spring (it is so arranged that upon the application of longitudinal force in either direction the link 38 may be moved from one alternative position to the other.

The lower end of the link 38 is notched at 46 to engage a forwardly projecting arm of a plate i8 pivoted at 5i and 52 in the side plates of the frame, as shown in Fig. 4. The plate 48 is provided with a wedge-shaped rearward extension 55 which, when the machine is stationary, is engaged with an ear 56 carried by a plate 58 pivoted to a disc 64 as indicated at tit and urged away from said disc by a leaf spring 62. The disc 6 3 is secured to a gear 65 and through this gear drives other portions of the mechanism. When the ear 5B is engaged, as just indicated, by the wedge 5 E, it is held axially out of the path of pins 58 carried by a gear it which is arranged to mesh with a pinion l2 carried by the motor-driven countershaft I l, there being provided one or more pinions l2 corresponding to the number of units located side by side in the machine. When the motor is operated, it drives, 'irough suitable reduction gearing, the shaft "it, and consequently the gear it and pins E8 of all of the units. However, unless operation of a particular unit is predetermined by depression of a key thereof, the rotation of the pins 68 is ineffective to produce issuance of a ticket from that unit, since the ear 56, under such conditions, will not be engaged. On the other hand, when operation is predetermined, the ear 56 will be disengaged by its wedge 54 in position to be driven by one of pins 58 so that a direct drive between gear l0 and gear 6 .3 is provided. By the provision of a plurality of pins 68, it will be clear that the clutch is engaged quite soon after the actuation of the motor operation, so that the impact occurring at this point is slight, and though rapid operation is efiected, there is no substantial noise.

The gear 66 meshes with a gear l6 which carries a crank pin 18, to which is pivoted a link 8%), the forward end of which is pivotally connected to a lever 82 fulcrumed at 84 upon an upstanding ear of a slide 86 guided for movement in slots 88 in the side plates. The slide 86, as most clearly shown in Fig. 3, is provided with a series of steps 98 in its forward edge which are lined up with and adapted to engage the corresponding shoulders 29 on the key levers to produce variable operation of the ticket issuing mechanism as hereafter described.

The upper end of lever 82 is pivoted to a rack 82, the teeth 94 of which mesh with a pinion 96 formed on a sleeve to which is secured a ratchet 98 with the teeth of which cooperates a pawl IUD urged into engagement therewith by a spring I02, the pawl being pivoted upon, and the spring being secured to, a pinwheel H14 carrying a series of pins we designed to engage perforations in a ticket strip. The ticket strip is led to the pinwheel between guide members W8 and H0 pivoted to the side plates at H2 and IM, respectively, and arranged so as to be simultaneously movable away from the pinwheel by reason of an ear H6 secured to guide I38 and having an inner turned end engaging guide 4%, so that as guide i 48 is pulled forwardly, guide M38 is also moved against the tension of spring IE8 to clear the pins and thus afford easy feed for the ticket strip. of the guides is limited by engagement of an upturned finger I20 with the fixed knife I22 of the cutting arrangement, the finger l2il extending above the knife I 22 so as to be manually engageable to move the guides forwardly. The guiding passage is continued by a portion I24 secured to one of the side plates. Cooperating with the fixed knife I22 there is a movable knife I26 held downward so as to tightly engage the fixed knife E22 by means of a cover guiding plate i253. With this plate and the knife there engages a member I383 pivoted to the upper end of a knife operating lever I36 and pulled downwardly through a link I32 and spring I34. The knife operating lever I36 is provided with a follower roller I 40 engaging within a cam groove I42 formed in a disc 64.

The pinwheel Hi4 carries a plurality of axially extending pins I44 corresponding in number to the pins I86 and bearing a proper angular relationship thereto. These pins M4 are arranged to engage at proper times the upper end of a lever I46 pivoted upon a transverse pin I 43 and urged in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 1 and '7, by a spring I50. The lever I46 is provided with a second arm H32 which acts as a cam follower to be acted upon by rollers I54 and i556 carried by the gear H5. The rollers 954 and I56 serve to move the lever I46 out of the path of the pins IM. Normal clockwise movement of the pinwheel it is prevented by the location of the lever I 36 in the position of Fig. 7.

A bell crank I53 pivoted at Hit) and urged in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, by means of a spring 562, is adapted to be acted upon at the end of each cycle by a roller I 64 carried by the gear 66. When so acted upon, its edge I 66 engages and depresses the forwardly projecting portion of plate 48 with the resultant imparting of a clockwise movement to the stirrup 22 and opening of the switch, and restoration of the depressed key lever 6 to its initial raised position. There is secured to the pinwheel l M a pinion M8 which, through suitable intermediate gearing I'IIJ,

Inward movement of both drives a counter I12 to indicate the number of tickets issued.

The operation of the machine will be clearly apparent from the above description of its construction. Upon depression of one of the keys 4, the correspondingkey lever ii is moved downwardly, producing a closure of the motor switch through 24 and engagement of the clutch by the liberation of the ear 55, so that it is brought into the path of one of the pins 68. By reason of the provision of the lower depression 40 in the link 38, the stirrup 22 is held in the position to which it has been moved by the key, and the switch is held closed during the ensuing cycle. Likewise, the wedge 54 isheld out of the path of the ear 56.

The rotation of gear 66 takes place in a clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2. As the cycle begins, the linkill], which was in substantially a rearward dead center position, will move forwardly, therebyv acting upon the lever 82. The arrangement is such that the resistance to movement of the pinion 96 and its connected parts is greater than the resistance to movement of the slide 86, so that, as a consequence, the slide 86 is forced forwardly, the left-hand end of link 92 forming a substantially fixed fulcrum for the lever 82. This forward movement of the slide 86 may continue until the step 98, corresponding to the depressed key lever, engages the shoulder 'of that lever, whereupon, since the slide may no longer move forwardly but is positively arrested, the continued forward movement of link 85 produces rearwardmovement of the rack 92 and rotation of pinion 9E. It will'thus be seen that the throw of the crank pin I8 gives rise to two distinct mechanical operations, the first involving the movement of slide 86 to a limiting position, andthe second the rotation of the pinion 96. The relative values of these movements obviously depend upon the free movement of the slide 86 to its limited position determined in turn by the heights of the steps 9E3. By suitable location of the steps, therefore, it is possible to provide variable movements of the pinion 96, sufficing, in the present machine, to issue one to five tickets as predetermined by the depressed key. It may be noted that the engagement between a step 96 and shoulder 20 is not produced by any spring but by a relatively slow movement of the slide 86, so that noise is very substantially minimized. During the forward movement of the link 80 and consequent variable rotation of the pinion 96, the pinwheel I04 is driven through the ratchet and pawl arrangement 98 and I00, the ticket strip is fed forwardly and the predetermined number of tickets moved past the line of severance of the knives.

As the link 80 takes its rearward stroke, the rack 92 may be moved forwardly until the lever 82 engages the pin 83, whereupon the slide 86 is moved rearwardly to its initial position, stoppage of the machine taking place when the link 80 reaches the position in Fig. 2. During this reverse movement of the rack 92, the ratchet 98 moves idly from beneath the pawl I00.

The above describes the variable operation of the pinwheel. Before the pinwheel moves, however, it must be released by the lever I46, this being effected, as indicated above, by engagement of the rollers I54 and. I56 with the cam following extension I52 of this lever. After the completion of the feeding stroke of the pinwheel, the rollers I54 and I56 release the lever M6, bringing it into the path of the next succeeding pin I44 to prevent overrun of the pinwheel.

After the feed of the ticket strip takes place, the cam I42 acts upon the knife operating lever I36, giving the knife a forward stroke to sever the ticket strip and then a rearward stroke to open up a space for the passage of the ticket strip in the next cycle.

As the gear 66 nears the end of a rotation, the pin or roller I64 which it carries engages the bell crank I58, causing the edge N56 to move the plate 43, opening the switch, restoring. the depressed key lever to its initial position and also bringing the wedge 56 into thepath of the ear 56. Consequently, as the'ear 56 comes round, driven by a pin 68, it will be disengaged from its driving pin and arrested in its initial position, the wedge insuring a cushioned stoppage for the rotating clutch elements and the parts which they drive. The gear It and pin 68, however, may continue to spin with the overrun of the motor. No attempt is made to sharply arrest the motor and, as a result, no noise occurs from this source.

During the issue of the ticket, it will be obvious that the counter is advanced to correspond with the number of tickets issued;

The pinwheel is normally prevented fromrotating in either direction. Forward movement is prevented, as indicated above, by the lever Hi8. Reverse movement is prevented since, in order to partake of direction, it would be necessary for the pinwheel to drive the pinion 96 and hence the rack. The rack, however, cannot move because of the restraint upon lever 82 imposed by the pin 83 and the dead center location of the crank I8. It is thus impossible for tickets to be drawn out of the machine except as predetermined by key operation and for disengagement of a ticket strip by the pinwheel to occur.

It will be clear that numerous variations may be made in the specific embodiment of the invention without departing from the scope as defined in the following claims.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A ticket issuing machine comprising means for delivering one or more tickets in a cycle of operation, a plurality of keys, a member mounted for movement in a fixed path, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends on said member, means for imparting to one end of the lever a substantially constant forward and backward stroke in every cycle of operation, key controlled means for variably limiting the movements of said member depending upon the number of tickets to be issued, and connections between the other end of the lever and the delivering means.

2. A ticket issuing machine comprising means for delivering one or more tickets in a cycle of operation, a plurality of keys, a slide, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends on said slide, means for imparting to one end of the lever a substantially constant forward and backward stroke in every cycle of operation, key controlled means for variably limiting the movements of said slide depending upon the number of tickets to be issued, and connections between the other end of the lever and. the delivering means.

3. A ticket issuing machine comprising means for delivering one or more tickets in a cycle of operation, a plurality of keys, a member mounted for movement in a fixed path, a lever pivoted on said member, single revolution mechanism for imparting to one end of the lever a single substantially constant forward and backward stroke any substantial movement in such in every cycle of operation, key controlled means for variably limiting the movements of said member depending upon the number of tickets to be issued, and connections between the other end of the lever and the delivery means.

4. A ticket issuing machine comprising means for delivering one or more tickets in a cycle of operation, a plurality of keys, a member mounted for movement in a fixed path, a lever pivoted on said member, single revolution mechanism, including a, clutch and means for disengaging the clutch after a single revolution for imparting to one end of the lever a single substantially constant forward and backward stroke in every cycle of operation, key controlled means for variably limiting the movements of said member depending upon the number of tickets to be issued, and connections between the other end of the lever and the delivery means.

5. A ticket issuing machine comprising means for delivering one or more tickets in a cycle of operation, a plurality of keys, a slide, a lever pivoted on said slide, single revolution mechanism for imparting to one end of the lever a single substantially constant forward and backward stroke in every cycle of operation, key controlled means for variably limiting the movements of said slide depending upon the number of tickets to be issued, and connections between the other end of the lever and the delivery means.

6. A ticket issuing machine comprising means for delivering one or more tickets in a cycle of operation, a plurality of keys, means for yieldingly holding actuated keys in the positions to which they are moved, a member mounted for movement in a fixed path, a lever pivoted on said member, single revolution mechanism, including a clutch and means for disengaging the clutch after a single revolution and for positively restoring actuated keys to normal position, for imparting to one end of the lever a single substantially constant forward and backward stroke in every cycle of operation, key controlled means for variably limiting the movements of said member depending upon the number of tickets to be issued, and connections between the other end of the lever and the delivery means.

7 A ticket issuing machine comprising means for delivering one or more tickets in a cycle of operation, a plurality of keys, a member mounted for movement in a fixed path, a lever pivoted on said member, means for imparting to one end of the lever a substantially constant forward and backward stroke in every cycle of operation, key controlled means for variably limiting the move ments of said member depending upon the number of tickets to be issued, connections between the other end of the lever and the delivery means, means normally preventing movement of the delivery means, and means for rendering the last named means inoperative during the cycle when delivery is to take place.

8. A ticket issuing machine comprising means for delivering at least one ticket in a cycle of operation, a member mounted for movement in a fixed path, a lever pivoted on said member, means for imparting to one end of the lever a forward and backward stroke in every cycle of operation, means for limiting the movements of said member, connections between the other end of the lever and the delivery means, means normally preventing movement of the delivery means, and means for rendering the last named means inoperative during the cycle when delivery is to take place.

HERMAN SOLTZ. 

